Buncombe County Board of Elections members Robert Van Wagner and Jones Byrd review a provisional ballot to determine if it will be counted as part of the vote canvass Friday.

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Republican Christina Merrill said today she will ask for a recount and possibly mount a legal challenge after a canvass dropped her out of a winning spot in the race for the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners by just 13 votes.

Unofficial results from the Nov. 6 election had Merrill ahead of Democrat Ellen Frost by 87 votes in the contest for one of two seats representing the board's District 2.

But a mandated review of provisional and absentee ballots by the county Board of Elections put Frost slightly ahead. The canvass began at 11 a.m. Friday and wasn't finished until 1:30 a.m. Saturday. ...